International partnership to drive net zero innovation

An international partnership has been establishing linking the Tees Valley with an Australian state to support the drive towards a net zero future.

Teesside University’s Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC), The University of Western Australia (UWA), and the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CoDA) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative international hub focused on accelerating both the UK and Western Australia’s transition to net-zero emissions.

The proposed WA Industry Transformation Hub will unite academic expertise, industry leadership, and government support to drive innovation in decarbonisation and local manufacturing.

Each organisation brings a significant contribution to the relationship, including deep relationships and research programmes in the UK industrial sector, a significant track record of supporting Australian industry in its research needs for more efficient production and a strong Australian and global decommissioning network.

The MoU also brings Western Australia and Teesside together around their industrial heritage, a heritage that is evolving toward reduced carbon emissions in a changing world.

The partnership will leverage NZIIC’s cutting-edge research in hydrogen, carbon capture, circular economy, and smart energy, alongside UWA’s global research capabilities and CoDA’s strategic industry engagement.

The collaboration will include joint research, knowledge sharing, and work-integrated learning, with researchers embedded in industry settings to ensure relevance and rapid deployment.

The hub will focus on three core research themes:

• Industrial Emissions Reduction: Targeting heavy industries such as mining, oil & gas, and cement, the hub will develop and deploy carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies in collaboration with industrial centres like Kwinana and the Pilbara.
• Circular Economy: Supporting the Made in WA agenda, the hub will promote advanced manufacturing, industrial waste recycling, and life-cycle design to grow WA’s circular economy.
• Knowledge Exchange: A joint governance model will embed international collaboration, with NZIIC and WA industry representatives guiding strategic direction to ensure alignment with the state’s Diversify WA priorities.

The initiative supports the WA CCUS Action Plan and the Future State: Accelerating Diversify WA strategy, aiming to position Western Australia as a global leader in clean energy and sustainable industry.

The agreement was signed at the £13.1m NZIIC in Middlesbrough, a hub for industrial collaboration and innovation and a UK national centre of excellence for net zero technologies which is leading the way nationally and internationally on clean energy transformation.

As well as touring the facilities and learning about the groundbreaking research taking place, the Australian delegation also toured the Teesworks site, Europe’s largest brownfield site, home to diverse, sustainable and low-carbon activity.

Dr Gari Harris, Director of NZIIC, said: “At Teesside University we are dedicated to working with industry to develop technologies to shape a cleaner, greener future.

“This partnership represents a significant step forward in building a globally connected, locally focused innovation ecosystem.

“By aligning our strengths, we can support both the UK and Western Australia’s economic diversification and climate goals through practical, industry-led solutions.”

Professor Hélène de Burgh-Woodman, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research Training) at UWA, said: “The international network established by this MoU will provide a springboard to deliver innovation not just in net zero technologies themselves, but in their process of discovery.

"From PhD students who are working full-time in industry through to those who may only visit Perth on occasion, this new collaboration unlocks new research training opportunities to support one of the leading technology gaps in modern society."

Professor Zachary Aman, Chair of the Board of Studies (Mathematical & Physical Sciences) at UWA said: “This MoU lays the foundation for a transformative partnership.

“Together, we will translate high-TRL research into real-world impact, creating skilled jobs and strengthening WA’s innovation infrastructure.”

Dr Francis Norman CEO at CoDA said: “This hub’s focus advances the WA CCUS Action Plan vision of establishing a world-leading CCUS industry to decarbonise heavy industries while supporting economic diversification.

“It also supports the Made in WA agenda by building local advanced manufacturing capability and skilled jobs, keeping WA at the forefront of global market shifts through strong industry support and innovation infrastructure.”

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• Net Zero